There has always been a debate about election or free will. So where do I stand? Since the Bible teaches that we are elect of God I must believe in election or God is not sovereign. But the Bible also teaches that man has a free will so I must believe in free will or God is not just. Does this create a tension? Absolutely. But I must accept it by faith knowing that this is just one of the many doctrines that I do not understand.
Free will makes me responsible. Election gives me comfort and security. There are those who preach election but one should never preach election to the lost - they need to preach that they are called by God to Himself. Only after they have answered the call then you can teach the doctrine of election. Wow, it makes my head hurt but it makes my heart rejoice.
2 comments:
Every Christian should hold to election and personal responsibility, since the Bible teaches both. Interestingly, in our day, people have forgotten that Arminians and Calvinists both hold to these truths (partly because so many Arminians eliminate any concept of election and some Calvinists downplay free will). But the rub is in the details:
Arminians believe that God is sovereign over all and that human free will is based on an absolute freedom to choose whatever one wants. According to Arminian thought, God has chosen to give humans significant freedom in order to choose him, without any interference from God. Arminians say that God's sovereignty functions in his all-knowing: because he knows who will choose him, because he knows what you will do, he can ordain your choice.
Calvinists believe that God is sovereign over all and that humans have a free will. The difference is that Calvinists believe that humans choose what they most want. Therefore, a human being's choices are rational and logical and can be shaped by God without interference, for God can shape the desire of the human heart without interfering with the choice, thus leaving humans responsible for their actions and God being in complete control while not being responsible for human sin and evil.
I think that while both sides would agree that there is free will and sovereignty, the difference is this: what is the most important aspect of this theology? Answering that question will describe whether our hearts are inclined towards self or God.
One other thought: I wonder how much our consumerist mindset shapes our theology. We go to the store and have 10 options for peanut butter and 30 options for cereal, so we feel very free.
But there are many things we did not choose:
- where I was born
- my parents
- my religious influences as a child
- my name
- my siblings
- my school
- most of my major influences that shaped me before age 7!!!
If it is true, as James Dobson has said, that a child is mostly shaped by age 7, then most of our influences have not been by our own "free will" but by the choices of others.
Post a Comment